Great business ideas go global to serve customers around the world. By contrast, no such market forces are at work in the social sector. Social innovation too often remains local or national. Although many of the ideas and the entrepreneurs behind them have the potential for global spread, the social sector still lacks a process that focuses specifically on the global scope of change and the resources and mechanisms necessary for globalizing an idea successfully.

After defining and developing the practice of social entrepreneurship around the world, Ashoka now aims to leverage its global reach, selection process and network of social and business entrepreneurs to link initiatives ready for global scale to the financial, strategic and intellectual support they require to go global.

Ashoka Fellows: creators of the world’s most powerful social innovations

Over the past three decades, Ashoka has developed its Fellowship to include over 2,500 individuals in more than 70 countries – the world’s pre-eminent network of social entrepreneurs. Through a rigorous internal selection process, the Ashoka Globalizer identifies the Fellows within this network with the greatest potential for catalyzing global systems change. These entrepreneurs are challenged to further refine their leading social innovations, in order to adapt their strategies for accelerated global spread. Throughout this intense process they are supported by experts from the Globalizer team, working alongside advisors from McKinsey & Company and Ashoka's Support Network of business leaders committed to social change.

The Globalizer Summit: a unique platform for accelerated global growth

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The Globalizer Summit will match these “ready to globalize” innovations with the resources they need to rapidly and effectively achieve global scale. A select group of leading entrepreneurs from the private and social sectors, along with members of Ashoka’s Global Academy, will support each participating Fellow in Accelerator Panels – sharing their insights into proven strategies for rapid global growth, and crystallizing the key needs and challenges associated with each Fellow’s plan.

This process will enrich each Fellow’s strategy for achieving global scale with the insights of the world’s leading global entrepreneurs, as well as input from the broader on-line public. These refined plans will be shared with the world during the Panels' closing session, along with clear metrics by which to gauge each entrepreneur’s progress towards achieving their vision.